The Awakening
by Lothlorienx
Summary: Mai and Zuko on board the ship heading home. Takes place on the first episode of Book 3: Fire.


Zuko looked up at the moon, shining bright in the sky. It was not yet full, but it still managed to illuminate the decks of the ship. Across the dark black water, the bright white light caught the lips of the waves, slowly lapping.

It was truly a beautiful sight; quiet and peaceful. But Zuko couldn't concentrate on the sight before him. Thoughts about coming home still roamed in his mind, tossing and turning restlessly.

A sharp breeze rose up, biting through his clothes.

"Aren't you cold?" He hadn't heard Mai walking up behind him, lost in thought as he was.

"I've got a lot on my mind," he told her. "It's been so long. Over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed… .I wonder how I've changed."

Mai yawned, suppressing annoyance. "I just asked if you were cold I didn't ask for your whole life story." Catching the small sight of annoyance on his face, Mai cupped her hand around his face.

"Stop worrying," she told him softly, leaning in to him, giving him a small smile. They kissed in the cold night air, eager to be together. It had been so long for Mai, too, and she wanted to reunite with him.

She stroked his face with her fingers before turning to leave, figuring he would want his alone time.

Zuko sighed, looking back across the expanse of black.

"I am cold," he said to himself, quietly, and slowly followed Mai down into the ship.

He didn't need to knock on her door to come in; his footsteps echoed through the hollow hallway, and Mai could here him approaching. A small spark of excitement rose within her, and a small smile appeared on her face.

"You get too cold?" she asked him innocently. Zuko nodded and came to sit beside her on the bed.

Mai held a long scroll in her hands, half-heartedly reading the small script written on it. Zuko could tell by the coloring and paper that it was Earth Kingdom literature.

"What are you reading?" he asked her.

"Erotica," she told him simply, giving him a small inviting glance. Zuko had not been anticipating that, and she saw his eyes slightly widen. "Really?" he asked trying to play it off. "Is it good?"

Mai leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his mouth. Zuko returned the kiss eagerly, and his hands reached out to hold her, pulling her body closer to him. "Yes," said Mai between kisses.

She stroked a hand over his face, and down his arm, slowly, before leaning back. "But it is nothing like Fire Nation erotica," she stated.

"Oh?" He leaned forward. "How is it different?"

"Mmm. It's mostly boring, dull, unimaginative." Pause. "But it does have it's good moments, though."

"I'd love to hear about them," Zuko said, grabbing ahold of Mai again. Without thinking, Mai tossed the scroll onto the floor, and embraced Zuko again. They kissed, long and passionately, trying to make up for all the time they had been apart.

"I've missed you," Zuko said to her. His breath tickled her neck, and Mai smiled in response. "I've missed you too," she said to him, trailing her hands up and down his body. The fabric he was wearing was cold to the touch, and as smooth as water. "You were cold," she said, the warmth from her breath spreading over his chilled skin. "Still am," Zuko said. There was an edge to his voice, and edge that Mai knew all too well.

She gripped at the fabric of his clothes once more before bringing her hands to the front, and unclasping his cloak. It fell off his shoulders and Zuko kicked it to the ground, sending it across the floor. Mai continued, unfastening and removing his various layers of clothes.

She stopped when his chest was completely exposed. She ran her hands over his skin, and goosebumps arose at her touch.

"We could do to light a few more candles," said Mai, looking around the room.

Zuko silently agreed, and lit them all, sending the fire flying over to the wicks perfectly. The flames brought a new sense of heat and life to the room. Mai looked all the more lovely in the candle light, and Zuko unabashedly smiled at the sight.

"You look beautiful," he told her in a low voice.

Mai tugged at the cloth on her hands, pulling the black arm warmers off of her and throwing them over to the pile of Zuko's clothes. Her hands were at the clasp of her own overclothes when she stopped.

Looking at him mischievously, she asked, "Would you like to do it?"

Zuko closed the space between them, settling his half naked body onto hers. "I would," he said, and started tugging her clothes off of her. Piles of the soft red and black fabric fell to the floor, being pushed away by their feet. Mai returned his kisses, removing the last of his clothing at the same time. All of it. It all had to be lost.

"Better," Zuko said brightly, and dropped his mouth onto Mai's breast. Mai panted in response, tilting her head back and bringing her hand to his hair. She ran her fingers through it, stroking the softness of it as he kissed and licked at her breasts.

Mai panted and sighed, leaning back, trying to press their naked bodies closer together. Zuko's arm looped around her waist, and tightened, as though her read her mind.

"Mmmmm. Zuko," she whispered, running her fingers down his neck, over his shoulder blades, and back up into his hair.

Zuko pulled away from her breast. Mai could see the wet sheen he had left on her breasts, glimmering in the candle light. Cupping her face, he looked deep into her eyes before kissing her again.

Mai moved her hips, pushing up against him. Zuko's hand went down to her hip, and he moved with her motion, the tension building.

With his other hand, he started pulling at the confines of her hair, undoing the elaborate strands and buns she had put into it. Strands of her hair started falling down her back, long and dark and black. It shined in the candle light.

She looks so sexy, Zuko thought excitedly, pressing his erection up against her skin.

Mai's hair was long, falling past her waist. Zuko grabbed at it, clasping it gently in his hand and tugging at it, moving Mai's head back so that he could kiss her more deeply.

Mai moaned, softly, and Zuko followed suit. Taking a handful of her soft, dark hair, he pulled it over her shoulders and let it fall over her chest, slightly covering her breasts. Her nipples still peaked out though, hard and pink and poking through the strands.

Zuko moved his hands back to her breasts, caressing them, groping them in the ways she liked to be touched.

So long, he thought to himself, knowing deep down that Mai thought the same thing. So long.

Without a word, he moved back and dropped down onto his knees in front of her, and Mai spread her legs in anticipation. A blush ran through her body, her excitement growing, her arousal increasing. She moaned low in her throat again as she felt Zuko's warm tongue start to circle her clitoris. She closed her eyes and gripped at the sheets of her bed.

Zuko continued the motion, his tongue flicking out and circling her. Mai thrust her body back and forth with the motion, Zuko gripping at her hips, trying to pin her down.

Panting, Mai reached down and grasped at Zuko's hair. She stroked his head a few times before grabbing a handful and pulling him up suddenly. He looked surprised.

She kissed him again and again, more fervently, whispering and moaning his named. "Mai," Zuko always responded, and the sound was like music to her eyes.

"Mai."

"Zuko."

She dug her long, sharp nails into the his back, causing him to cry out in surprise. She continued, running her nails up and down his back, scratching at the skin and running her palms over the trails.

The sound of metal doors opening and closing made them stop suddenly, despite their arousal. The faint hum of words reached their ears. "Is the door locked?" Zuko asked, and made a move to get up and check. Mai stopped him, circling her arms around his chest and pulling him back down onto the bed with her.

"Don't care," she said. Still, she found a blanket bundled up in the corner of the bed, and draped it around them. Mai kissed him on the cheek, gently.

Then, faster than she could have imagined, threw her body back down onto the bedand spread her legs out, circling Zuko with them and pulling him closer, straddling him. Zuko moaned deeply in response, knowing what was soon to come. He moaned again, and again.

Mai's thighs pressed at him, her hips still moving to her motion. Another deep kiss was shared between them, their tongues darting in and around each other, their lips red and swollen.

Placing his hands on either side of her body, Zuko thrust himself into her, causing Mai to gasp and moan. "Zuko," she moaned against him, her hands grabbing at his ass. She gripped the muscles tightly as he slowly moved in and out, thrusting against her sex.

"Mai."

"Zuko."

Lost in heat and arousal and passion and love, lost in the sweet feeling of sex and lust, they felt themselves connect in a way that they hadn't ever connected before.

Sex and sex and more sex.

Zuko continued to thrust up against her, moving in and out of her quickly, his speed increasing as he got closer and closer to orgasm. Mai moved her body quickly, her back arching, her hips thrusting up against his, her hands quickly roaming everywhere she could think; gripping at the sheets of the bed, scratching down his back, roaming through his hair, pounding on the mattress and gripping at her own pillow, her own hair.

She moaned, quietly, her body turning a slight crimson color as the heat of orgasm rushed through her. She moaned again, the loudest that she dared, throwing her head back and closing her eyes, her hands stilled.

Zuko still continued to thrust, not yet there, but seeing his lover caught in the waves of sexual pleasure and wild abandon, he too felt the orgasm approach.

He thrust himself, quickly, again and again and again, before quickly pulling out, his hand grasping his erection and releasing his seed onto her stomach. His pleasure released, he lay down onto the bed next to her, watching her face through tired eyes.

It was several minutes before she opened her eyes again. In them were looks of love and contentment, and sexual satisfaction.

Turning her gaze away from her face, she saw his seed, still on her stomach, a wet sheen in the candle light. "Don't move," Zuko said suddenly, willing his body out of the bed.

He bent fire out of his hands, warming up a basin full of water that each room had. When the water was the perfect temperature, steam slightly rising, he took the nearest towel and dunked it in the water, then returned to the bed where Mai was still waiting.

The towel was warm and wet against her skin as Zuko moved it over her, wiping her clean and massaging her body all at the same time. "Mmmm." Mai hummed in contentment as the warm towel moved over her body, and Zuko pressed his naked body against hers as he slid the towel around and over her.

He continued like that, moving the warm towel over her still blushing body until it was dry. He tossed it carelessly into the pile of clothes, and moved into bed beside her, pulling the covers over them.

"Sleeping here?" she asked him.

Zuko wrapped his arms around her, and Mai leaned into him. With the gentle rocking of the waves lulling them, they both fell asleep in each others arms.


End file.
